On the evening of 28 April 2016, Chinese Consul-General Lei Kezhong and his wife Ms Xing Chao held the reception marking his assumption of office. Over 300 people including Western Australia Premier Colin Barnett, Leader of the Opposition Mark McGowan, Deputy Premier and Minister for Police, Road Safety,Training and Workforce Development Liza Harvey, Treasurer, Minister for Energy, Citizenship and Multicultural Interests Mike Nahan, State Office Director, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Andrea Gleason, members of Consular Corps in Western Australia and representatives of the local Chinese communities, Chinese companies and Chinese students attended the reception. Consul-General Lei Kezhong, Premier Colin Barnett, Leader of the Opposition Mark McGowan, and State Office Director, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Andrea Gleason and representatives of the local Chinese communities and Chinese companies delivered speeches respectively.

In his speech, Consul-General Lei commented positively on China-Australia relations as well as China- Western Australia cooperation and exchanges. Consul-General Lei stressed that Western Australia enjoys a sound foundation of exchanges and cooperation with China, and the potential for bilateral cooperation in various areas is tremendous. The Chinese Consulate General is ready to make concerted efforts with Western Australia to give full play to the complementary advantages of both economies, and to promote the friendly exchanges and cooperation in such fields as agriculture, food, mining and clean energy, marine science, environment protection, infrastructure construction, equipment manufacturing, e-commerce, education and tourism, as well as friendly exchanges between sister state and sister cities, and to uplift our practical cooperation to a new level.

Consul-General Lei Kezhong Delivers a Speech

Premier Barnett made a warm and friendly speech to welcome Consul General Lei on his assumption of office in Perth and spoke highly of the positive achievements made in the development of bilateral relations between Western Australia and China, and said that Western Australia benefited a lot from China's rapid development. Western Australia attaches great importance to its relations with China and is willing to work closely with Consul-General Lei to expand the exchanges and cooperation in such new fields as agriculture, science and technology, oil and gas, education, tourism and food so as to benefit the two peoples.

Western Australia Premier Colin Barnett Delivers a Speech

The guests spoke highly of China's achievements in economic and social development, expressing the wish to make contribution to enhancing bilateral relations, tap the cooperation potential and boosting mutual understanding and friendship.